Improvement in ball-traps



B. FQWRIGHT. Ball-Trap,

No. 216,590. 'Pafented June 17, 1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

BENJAMIN F. WRIGHT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BALL-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,590, dated J une 17, 1879; application filed August 21, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. WRIGHT, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented an Improvement in Glass-Ball Throwers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices used by sportsmen and designed to throw balls into the air by the resilience of a-spring released by the withdrawal of aretaining-catch, the ball being thrown up to be shot at and broken; and consists, first, in such a construction of the frame of the device in relation to the ground-fastening as that said frame may be swung into any position horizontally, so that the ball may be thrown in a direction to or from, or to either side of, the sportsman; second, in an improved catch device for engaging with and retaining the spring-thrower; third,

' in a new and peculiar device for adjusting the cup which holds the ball to be thrown; fourth, in a new and improved device for adjusting the stop which limits the throw of the springarm which carries thecup; fifth,in the combination, with the spring-thrower, of a peculiarlyconstructed screen to conceal the ball until thrown.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my ball-thrower and screen. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of portions of the same. i

The frame A is composed of top bar, a, and bent bar (0, riveted together as shown, each bar having an eye, 01 to fit over and swivel on the post B, which is firmly secured by ground-stake B in the ground. The frame is thus permitted to swivel freely on the stake to change the direction given to the flying ball, and its bars are held against displacement vertically bythe collars G.

A socket, D, is formed in the top of post B, and a spring-catch, E, is made to "enter it through a slot, and a catch having a releasing- ,cord F, attached to it, by which the springthrower is released and the ball thrown.

G is the spring-arm which throws the ball,

it being secured to the frame by rivets, as shown, and carrying, at its outer end, the adjustable cup H. The cup is fastened to a holder, I, whose sides iembrace the springarm G, and are pivoted to it at i, the arm being perforated at 'i for a pin, 0'', which secures the cup in any one of the positions provided for it by the holes. The cup may be lined with rubber h, as shown, to form a soft elastic bedfor the reception of the ball, which, as now used, is a hollow sphere of glass.

J is a headed pintle suspended from the holder I, and adapted to enter the socket D, the tapering head enabling it to enter freely, and the shoulder j giving surface for the catch E to engage with, the locking of catch and pintle constituting the means of setting the trap or thrower and permitting the swiveling of the trap on post B.

To limit the throw of the spring-arm, I use a rubber tube-stop, L, held in place by pin M, secured in the sliding jaw N, which, in turn, is secured through slot 0 to the frame. The slot 0 and the series of pin-holes it give the means of adjusting the throw of the ball.

P is a post-stake, having an ,eye, 12, for the cord F to pass through, and having attached to it a screen, Q, which may extend laterally to any extent desired, the outer edges being attached to stakes similar to stake P, by which the screen is secured in a vertical position. The screen serves to hide the trap from the sportsman, so that he does not see the ball until after it has left the trap.

I claim- 1. The combination of post B, having a socket, D, frame A, having a horizontallyswiveling connection with said post, and the ball-throwing arm carried by said frame, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the spring-arm G, the cup-holder I, pivoted to the arm, and having a series of holes, 13, and pin '5', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony ofwhich invention I hereunto set my hand.

, BENJAMIN F. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

J OHN E. JONES, J. L. WARTMANN. 

